The Bearded Hoarder vintage shop opens in Sayville

The Bearded Hoarder, a vintage and collectibles specialty shop, has grown out substantially. Open since May in Sayville, the store is three times the size of its now-closed original location in Patchogue.

Owner Kevin Tetrault says it's a more ideal showcase for his extensive inventory of toys, action figures, records, comics, Pokémon, sports cards, video games, antiques and pop-culture memorabilia.

"I want it to feel like a giant collection as opposed to just random items. It’s very nice to have everything laid out and displayed where everyone can see it," says Tetrault, 40, whose 15 years of carpentry experience came in handy building cabinetry for the new store on Railroad Avenue. "It’s a better shopping experience for the customers."

Tetrault, a Marvel Comics maniac as a kid who later got into vinyl records and old-school cartoons, launched his brick-and-mortar business in late 2023 after selling collectibles on Facebook Auction. His wife, Michelle, coined the cheeky term of endearment that became the name of his business.

"I overtook the dining room as my shipping area," says Tetrault, whose children are ages 10 and 2. "I honestly fell into it. I used to collect things, and it just snowballed."

And then it became a career. The store’s top sellers are Pokémon figures, toys and LPs, and customers on the hunt for antiques, including paper ephemera and glassware.

Prices run from $1 to over $1,000 for premium pieces. He recently sold a factory-sealed copy of the original Mike Tyson Punch-Out!! game for Nintendo for four figures. A Led Zeppelin license plate signed by the band’s lead vocalist Robert Plant is another prized item.

Tetrault believes that nostalgia and the resurgence of physical media are key factors driving the success of his vintage and collectibles business. The store also offers a sort of escape, with treasures in every nook, cranny, corner and drawer.

"People like to come in and look around," he says. "They just want to relax and remember easier times. It’s a sort of stress reliever."

The Bearded Hoarder, 279 Railroad Ave., Sayville, 631-697-2724, @thebeardedhoarder